Internal-combustion engine.



A. W. PROCTOR. DECD.

6. H. Pnocron. ADMINISTRATRIX.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, 1912.

1,209A95. v Patented De0.19,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. W- PROCTOR. DECD. c. H. PROCIOR, ADMINISTRATRIX.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED H28. 9. m2. I

' Patented Dec. 19,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fly Z wi bwwwo 5 wue W606 A. W. PROCTOR. DECD. a. H. PROCTOR, ADMINISTRATRIX.

1NTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINE APPLICATlbN ,FILED FEB.'9| I912.

1,209,495. Pafented Dec. 19,1916.

3 SHEETS SHEETB.

3 wue M301 ALFRED 'W. PBOCTOR,OF BROOKLYN ,NEW YORK; GEORGIETTA H. PROCTOR ADMINIS- TRATRIX OF SAID ALFRED W. PBOCTOR, DECEASED.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

than highly volatile liquids like gasolene or,

alcohol, and further relates to the provision of an improved cycle, thermodynamically correct, and theoretically known as the Joule cycle, in a practical engine.

Fuels having a high heat value can be had at less than the cost of gasolene, and beingless dangerous are particularly advantageous for use in motor trucks where economy, and safety are particularly important. In co-pending application Serial No. 660,749 filed Nov. 17th, 1911, there is described a transmission system for a motor truck which permits the use of a very inelastic motor, that is to say a motor having a constant speed.

. In the present application I have set forth an improved engine or motor which is particularly designed for motortrucks' where high elasticity or flexibility in the engine is not required, as for example with syste employing my transmission referred to. f course the. improved engine is not limited to this field.

Primarily the invention contemplates the spraying of a fuel oil into a current of strongly vcompressed strongly heated and rapidly moving air at the instant such air is passing into a highly heated chamber. This chamber is arranged to withstand a high temperature without wear from the attrition of. any mechanical parts which rub together while hot and unlubricated, which has been a source of difficulty in many prior constructions. Moreover any carbonization in this chamber will not be productive of difficulties as has been the case with some prior constructions. In the ordinary Diesel type engine the compression is carried to about thirty atmospheres or more at the limit of a compression stroke and thereupon heated by the injection of fuel oil. The compression of thirty atmospheres or more over a comparatively large PlSiiOIl area produces a tremendous strain on the engine bearings, the crank shaft, the wrist pin, the crank pin Specification of Letters Patent. P t t d D 19, 11am, Application filed February 9, 1912. Serial No. 676,498.

and the connecting rod, and also on the ensuflicient rigidity are so "great, that so far as I am aware the Diesel type engine has been llmited to large and very heavy power units.

The present improved engine further contemplates the elimination of auxiliary devices to a great extent, and the use of valves is so improved and timed with accuracy to the movement of the pistons that there is no improper timing at high speed. Besides this it is further provided that the valves shall be very tight at the time of cut-off and lubricated against wear and excessive friction. In the interest of speed all the parts may have substantially harmonic or similar motion instead of abruptly controlled movements which are objectionable. v

The engine is further designed to give two power impulses substantially 180 apart at each revolution thereby having substantially the effect of a four cylinder engine of the ordinary type. Besides this it aims to securethe advantages of compounding which are great where high pressure and temperatures are used.

The improved engine aims at the practically ideal or Joule cycle with a smooth and unbroken adiabatic expansion from the fuel cut-ofi' pressure down to substantially atmospheric pressure. In this way the highest theoretical efiiciency is obtainable. The invention further contemplates th efficient prevention of leakage at the highest pressures. This is highly important where the engine is not of very large slze and where the compression is high, sincea large per cent. of a small highly compressed charge may escape through a very small crevice. The features of the invention by which leakage is prevented during the time :of highest glne frame, and the difficulties of getting Constructions embodying the invention will include a plurality of cylinders, preferably three of different bores and strokes of which one is a high compression cylinder receiving its'charge from an auxiliary compression cylinder and-delivering the charge after combustion and partial expansion during one working stroke into another cylinder where the expansion is continued until all of the power of thecharge is used up. The high compression cylinder where the combustion takes place presents particular features in its construction and use. The best instructions embodying the invention will include a displacer in the form of a comparatively long cylindrical body one end of which is connected to a plunger 11 within a chamber 12. I term this part 10 a displacer because it need not and does not make a gas-tight fit in the cylindrical chamber where it moves. On the contrary the gases have a free passage from the lower side to the upper side of this member. Since this is true there is no need of having the member 10 constructed like a piston, and it .may in fact have a clearance on all sides so 1 as not to touch the walls of the chamber at all. It may in fact be made of refractory material which is not adapted to resist fric- 30 tional wear, but which would beserviceable as a displacer, though not as a piston. The function of the displacer is solely to displace the gases on the lower side to the upper side when the displacer moves downward. The plunger 11 moves up and down carrying the displacer with it. In this way the remote end of the displacer approaches and recedes from the end of its chamber 13 which may be termed the combustion chamber. This is really a two part combustion chamber because the upper chamber 13 always has an open communication with the chamber 12. It is true the combustion does not take place in the chamber 12, because the air is not carbonized at this time, but except for this fact, the chamber 12 is a part of the chamber 13. It may be observed at this point that the temperature in the combustion chamber may be very high and the walls .are not expected to be lubricated. The displacer will also become heated at this end and will expand and might bind in the chamber were it intended to be gas tight. Being merely a displacer however, it is not intended to be gas tight and throughout a certain distance at the upper portion where it is hottest and least lubricated, it may, as above stated be slightly reduced in diameter so as not to even touch the wall of the combustion chamber. Of course the distance of separation need only be a very small amount. Under these circumstances there is no difficulty from the heating of the combustion chamber.

this construction by which a very high com- 1 will now refer to some detail features of pression is retained in the combustion cham- "ber, notwithstanding the presence of only a small charge. The only outlets from this combustion chamber are found at the sliding engagement of the plunger 11 with its containing wall, and at the ports later described and at the outlet opening 16. I will now show a manner in which leakage may be guarded against through all of these exits from the combustionchamber.

First referring to the plunger 11, it will be seen that it has a reduced portion 17 which subsequently expands into another plunger or piston 18 which is of nearly but not quite the same diameter as the first plunger 11. This constitutes a fuel pump. The space around the'reduced portion 17 is a fuel oil chamber 19, and this chamber will normally be filled with the fuel oil. This oil is admitted and discharged from the chamber through check valves 20 and 21. Below this chamber the piston 18 is very carefully constructed and packed. Being of small diameter, and always cold or at an unvarying temperature and above all only holding oil pressure instead of air pressure, the leakage past this piston can be almost entirely provided against. I have illustrated a cup leather washer 22 in addition to a series of packing rings 23. This ar-' rangement will easily hold five hundred:

pounds of oil pressure without leakage. If there is any leakage it will be only a few drops of oil which can be collected without waste; Thus the oil above this piston constitutes a seal and it does not 'matter whether the upper piston or plunger 11 is packed or not, since the oil pressure in the chamber 19 is always the same as the air pressure in the chamber 12 and in the combustion chamber 13. It will be observed that these conditions prevent any escape of air from the combustion chamber past this pisto n or through the fuel oil passage 25. It will now be shown that the escape of'air through an inlet port 26 and a lubricating port 27 and an outlet valve. 16 is guarded against in the best constructions embodying the invention.

Referring to the inlet port it will be noted that the displacer 10 in moving downward moves across and cuts off the inlet port 26. The displacer is comparatively cold at this end where it may be surrounded by waterjackets 29. In order to hold the displacer in contact with the wall and make it in effeet a perfect slide valve, spring bearers 30 may be inset in the lower part of the displacer 10 which keep it thrown over toward the left in Fig. 1. Immediately therefore that the displacer has traveled across the open port 26 the latter is closed and it will be presently shown that at this instant the pressure in the passage 26 falls, while that in the combustion chamber is very high so that the air pressure'holds the displacer firmly over the port 26 making a perfect slide valve or seal. The lubricating oil. passage 27 is at the same time covered up, it being understood that lubricating oil will be fed during the interval of no pressure in the combustion chamber. The oil pipes 27 lead to any suitable oil tank, (not shown) from which'the oil feeds by gravity. It is not necessary to have either pressure or check valve in this oil supply pipe because the pipe is always covered up by the wall of the piston 41. Furthermore, 'it will be observed that as both the air pressure and the spring 44 tend to keep the piston 41 pressed toward the right in the drawings, there will not be any leakage even although the cylinder wall and piston wear to a considerable extent. This is because the ports are 'all on one side, and the piston ,is kept borne against the cylinder always on this side. The .only remaining outlet for. the combustidn chamber as shown in Fig. 1, is the puppet valve 16 which may be'comparatively small and further kept cold by any suitable water jacket (not shown) and which can be frequently reground if desired, but

which ,is not. subject to severe erosion on account of the fact-that the hot gases never flow past its surface at very high velocity. Since'this valve constitutes the only real possibility" of leakage, it can be readily -watched and; will not be found inpractice to cause trouble as a practical proposition. Of course lubrication of the surface of a puppet valve is unnecessary and none is provided for, the temperature being exceedingly 'high.

By the foregoin arrangement the hot and hlghly compresse gases are ,made efi'ective to drive down the displacer 10. It will be understood that at the first part of the downward stroke of the displacer a body of highly compressed uncarbureted air is in the chamber l2'below the displacer 10 and as the displacer moves downward this com pressed charge is driven upward through a passage 32 at one. side of the'displacer' or 110 the fact that the al'ready highly com- 56 in the stationary wall (see Fig. 2). As

air shoots upward it meets the fuel which is being. displaced from the chamber 1 9 on account of the contraction of volume of this chamber. Theamount of this fuel is regulated to the right amount for the charge of air supplied; The air being in-' tensely compressed and thus heated by the compression andfurt-her heate'diby the hot chamber 13 into which it flows will at once atomize. and largely vaporize the fuel and 1gn1te the same and the fuel will burn during the entire period that the displacer is moving downward, or in other words during this power stroke. The gas presure Wlll rise considerably in the chamber 13 due pressed gases are greatly heated by the combustion. It is true that there is a certain expansion during this combustion in the chamber 13. This expansion may be so great as to prevent any substantial increase of pressure at this time, if desired. The

expansion is equal in amount to the volume displaced by the-movement of the piston 11.

If this piston is large and the stroke long,

the. expansion will be considerable, but if on the other hand the piston is small and the stroke short, the expansion will be much less. vMost of this. expansion goes intb the power stroke, and the power is considerable from this source as the pressure is very high. Not all of the power goes into the power stroke however, and a part is abj sorbed' in. compressing the fuel in the chamber 19. As a matter of fact the amount of force which goes into the power stroke is proportional to the diameter of. the lowest piston 18 rather than .the middle piston 11, for the reason just mentioned. The pressure will however rise continuously in most cases, the volume expansion being insufiicient to prevent such rise. 1

At substantially the conclusion of the downward stroke the valve 16 will open and the compressed ,and partially expanded charge will flow into the low pressure cylin der-35 in which the piston 36 is at this instant'in the extreme top of the stroke. It is desirable that this piston have as small clearance at the head end as possible, and

.reached atmospheric conditions .by this time and during the return stroke of the piston 36 the spent gases will be wholly expelled and the system thoroughly scavenged. It will be observed that the displacer 10 in the meantime has substantially expelled the charge from the high pressure cylinder. This is accomplished by the upward movement of the displacer 10 which reduces the combined volume of the chambers 12 and 13 to the same extent that this-volume expanded during the power stroke. Inasmuch as the gases areat substantially atmospheric pressure during their final expulsion from i the chambers '12 and 13, the residue remaining in the chamber 12 is inconsequential. It is vastly less in quantity than the working charge in these chambers under pressure.

As a means ofinitially compressing the "charge an auxiliary compression cylinder 40 may be provided and whose operation is such that when the piston 41 has compressed the charge toany point desired, a valve will open and admit this compressed charge into the chamber 12, or in other words into the lower part pf the combustion chamber. The further compression of the auxiliary piston 41 simply displaces or expels the compressedcharge from this cylinder to the other. The time at which the valve from the auxiliary compression cylinderbpens of course determines the amount of compression obtained therein, and this in turn bears a relation to the volume of the high pressure cylinder.

constitutes a means which'is free from vibrati on and certain in its action at high speeds. A spring bearer v 44 on the opposite side of the piston 41 keeps the latter pressed over the port 26 like a slide valve, and the air pressure on the bearer side of the piston insures a gas tight fit at all times. The spring bearer 44 is slmply for the purpose of keeping the surfaces lightly pressed together,the air pressure furnishin the main forc'e in this regard. The lubrlcating oil vent '45 is closed at the same time by this pressure, but will admit lubricating oil during the intervals of no pressure in this cylinder. The air may be admitted through an inlet check valve 46.

Reference has been made to the fact that the ports 43 and 26 come into register at a certain angle short of the vertical position of the crank. The low pressure piston 36 is under these circumstances offset by this same angular distance from the bottom vertical position of its crank, or substantially so. To this extent therefore the high pressure and low pressure systems are not 180 apart.

It will of course be understood that the details of the mechanism may be considerably varied. For example in place of the valve just described a gate valve 50 (see Fig. 2) may be used, operated by a cam 51. In Fig. 2 certain details of the displacer have. been oi'nitted and the construction of valve operating mechanism of the low pressure cylindermodified. The gate 'yalve 50 is shown operated by a rod and the cam 51. Likewise the exhaust valve is shown operated by an ordinary eccentric instead of the vertical shaft 54 as shown in Fig. 3. It-

will of course be understood that various modifications such as these may be used which do not depart from the essential spirit and scope of the invention. In Figs,

3 and 4 a plan ofoperating the valves of the low pressure cylinder is illustrated which has much positiveness of action and is further adapted for high speeds.

A synchronously driven shaft 54 is'provided with an eccentric roller 55 which runs these arcuate portions 57 are struck .are

rather close together, however, the difference from a perfectly circular shape is not wide,

being about as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The result of the rotation of the roller 55 is to throw this yoke 56 with great positiveness and abruptness to its extreme positions-of movement at two intervals 180 apart. During the intermediate interval the yoke is positively held'in extreme position. This yoke is simply attached to a valve rod 58 to which the valves 16 and 37 are secured. Thus the valves 16 and 37 are opened and closed at the proper'times and are firmly held securely on their seats during intermediate times. There is enough elasticity in the yoke and in its support and in the shaft to get a perfect action. If desired the shaft bearing 60 may be made with a rubber or similar bushing 61 in the interests of a certain elasticity. The valves are of course held on their seats by the air pressure primarily.

In operation it may be assumed thatthe displacer 10 is at the top of its stroke, the

just arrived at the point of compression de- I sired. At this time the puppet valve 16 is closed. During the next interval while the auxiliary piston 41 is reaching the top of its stroke, highly compressedair is passing into the chamber 12 beneath the displacer 10 and this flow is cut off when the auxiliary piston 41 reaches the top of its stroke. At

this instant the displacer reaches a position to close the port 26 and thus retain the pressure in the chamber 12. The further descent of the displacer 10 results in the transfer of the highly compressed and heated air through the passage 32 where it meets the fuel oil and atomizes and vaporizes the same.

both the chambers 12 and 13, which pressure is effective during a working stroke for substantially the entire downward movement At'this instant the low valve 37 simultaneously closing. The partly expanded and intensely heated charge is now The fuel is further ignited and" burned and a high pressure is developed in free to expand further into the low pressure cylinder 35- which expansion continues until the end of the stroke of the piston 36. At this instant, which is 180 later, the valve 16 closes and the exhaust'valve 37 simulta-' neously opens remaining in this condition during the full return stroke of the piston 36 by which the exhaust gases are thoroughly tion of the cycle already described. In other words a new cycle will begone through. In

the foregoing action the power impulses are substantially 180 apart, the more powerful high pressure cylinder having a small crank and also a small diameter so as to avoid the tremendous strains referred to in the preliminary part of the specification. Under these circumstances the high gas pressures can be easily controlled with a comparatively' light and free running engine.

- larly limited to this. exact structure or structures since variations may be made without departing from its "spirit and scope. For example in Fig. .5 a feature. of the, auxiliary cylinder is particularly illustrated and which is, intended to practically eliminate end clearance during the compression stroke.

It will be understood that an air compression cylinder should have a-very small end clearance, particularly if it compresses the gases to a very =-high degree Otherwise a considerable residual compressed charge is not utilized. In Fig. 5 the passage 42 is shown of conical or tapered formthroughout and a corresponding cone or plu 64: exactly fills the tapered passage throug out its whole length at the end oi the stroke. Thus there is theoretically no clearance at .the end of the-stroke although the passage 42 .is open until the instant of the limit;

This plug may be used to a less degree as shown in Fig. 1. With a similar purpose the port 26- may be made as straight and g narrow as desired, amounting to a short narrow vertical slot joining the cavities of the respective cylinders. The control of the fuel oil may be eflected in various ways, a governor operated bypass valve 65 being illustrated. It is evident thatthe more the valve 65 isopened the less the fuel 'oil will be fed to the combustion chamber. Any suitable fconnection to any ordinary ball governor will open-the valve 65 more or less. As a.

further means of regulation an additional .valve 66 may be employed if desired. The valve 66 is merely a hand controlled valve of any sort, forexample a gatev valve, infthe passage 25. {When this passage is partly closed or throttled by the valve 66, a smaller fraction of the fuel will pass upward into the combustion chamber 32, and a larger proportion will pass outward through the overflow or by pass 65, to be collected for subsequent use again. This has the effect of making the power of the engine less.

With the form of displacer 10 shown in I the cylinder 35 as may be, so as to diminishend clearance in this cylinder. The rod will simply be cut away enough at 70 to permit the -fiow of gases into and out of thls cylinder.

l/Vhat is claimed is, v

1. 'An internal combustion engine comprising an air compressor, a high pressure cylinder, a displacement piston therein, a low pressure cylinder, a passageway/between the compressor and high pressure cylinder, a passageway between'the high pressure cylinder and low pressure cylinder, an oil pump attached todisplacement piston and adapted to'pump oil into high pressure cylinder, and means adapted to open communication between high and low pressure cylinders at proper intervals. 2. An internal combustion engine comprising an air compressor, a high pressure cylinder, a displacement piston therein, a low pressure cylinder, a passageway between the compressor and high pressure cylinder,

loo

a passageway between the high pressure cylinder and loW pressure cylinder, an oil pump, actuated to displace oil into the passageway between the compressor and the high .pressure cylinder during the power stroke thereof, and means adapted to open communication between the high and low pressure cylinders, at proper intervals.

3. An internal combustion engine comprising an air compressor, a high pressure cylinder, a displacement piston therein, a low pressure cylinder, a passageway between the compressor and high pressure cylinder, a passageway between the high pressure cylinder and low pressure cylinder, an oil adapted to open communication between high and low pressure cylinders at proper intervals. g

4. An internal combustion engine comprising an air compressor, a high pressure cylinder, a piston therein, a low pressure cylinder, a passageway between the compressor and high pressure cylinder, a passageway between the high pressure cylinder pump, means for actuating said oil pump during the power stroke to pump oil into the high pressure cylinder, and means and low pressure cylinder, a crank shaft having crank connections with the various pistons, the low pressure cylinder having its crank position as much more than 180 degrees in advance of the high pressure crank, as the auxiliary pressure cylinder has its crank position behind the said high pressure crank, and means adapted to open communi-- cation between high and low pressure cylinders at proper intervals.

5. An internal combustion engine comprising an air compressor having a piston, ahigh pressure cylinder, a displacement piston therein, a low pressure cylinder, "a passageway between the compressor and high pressure cylinder, a'passageway between the high pressure cylinder and low pressure cylinder, said air compressor and displacement pistons mutually cooperating to control the passage between the compressor and the high pressure cylinder, and means adapted to open communication between high and low pressure cylinders at proper intervals.

6. An internal combustion engine comprising an ,air compressor,a high pressure cylinder, a displacement piston therein, a low pressure cylinder, a passageway between the compressor and high pressure cylinder, a passageway between the high pressure'cylinder and low pressure cylinder, said displacement. piston having an' upper slightly reduced portion and a lower larger portion fitting the high pressure cylinder, said passageway between the compressor and the high pressure cylinder being controlled by the enlarged part of the displacer, and means adapted to open communications between high and low pressure cylinders at proper intervals.

7 An internal combustion engine comprising an auxiliary compression cylinder, a piston therefor, said piston having a passage leading toward the crank end, a projection within the cylinder fitting said passage, a high pressure cylinder, a piston therein, a passageway between the. compressor and high pressure cylinder, said passageway being controlled by the said pistons, a low pressure cylinder, a passageway between the high pressure cylinder and low pressure cylinder, and means adapted to open communication between high and low pressure 'cylin- Signed at New York, in the county of- New York and State of New York, this 7th day of February, A. D. 1912.

ALFRED w. rnoo'ron.

I Witnesses:

E. A. SINGER, GRACE T. DIXON. 

